Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's offerings include Black Bean and Mango Salad and Basic Vegetable Soup. Enjoy!

PLUM-GINGER FREEZER JAM

This is from Yewande Komolafe in The New York Times cooking newsletter. She wrote, "This no-cook jam captures the joy of biting into a cold, crisp plum, and the technique it employs is ideal for capturing the freshness of firm ripe summer fruit. This jam, which can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer, making it what's commonly known as a refrigerator or freezer jam, is also packed with ginger and lemon, so you’ll get a bouquet of flavors in every spoonful."

Yield: 6 to 7 cups; Time: 10 minutes, plus chilling

This was featured in "Preserving the Season at Its Peak", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022488-plum-ginger-freezer-jam.

Ingredients

3 pounds ripe but firm plums, pitted and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 5 cups)

1 cup superfine sugar

2 tablespoons scrubbed, grated fresh ginger

2 tablespoons lemon zest (from 4 lemons)

2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus more to taste

1/4 teaspoon calcium powder, if needed (see Tip)

4 1/2 teaspoons powdered pectin (see Tip)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)

Preparation

Using a potato masher or fork, gently crush the plums in a large bowl to release some pulp and juices while keeping the fruit chunky. Toss with the sugar, then add the ginger and lemon zest and juice. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Measure the volume of your fruit mixture; you should have about 6 cups.

If your package of pectin comes with calcium powder, stir 1/4 teaspoon of the calcium powder into 1/4 cup water to dissolve. Set aside. Place the 4 1/2 teaspoons pectin in a stand blender, or have it measured and ready if using an immersion blender. Bring 1 cup water to a boil, then pour it into the stand blender and blend. (If using an immersion blender, add the pectin to the saucepan and blend.) The mixture should become very smooth and look like a soft gel. Stir the pectin mixture into the fruit until evenly combined, then stir in 4 teaspoons of the calcium water, if using. The jam should thicken and be softly set. Add the salt, stir and taste. Adjust after tasting with more teaspoons of lemon juice, if necessary, for a good balance of sweet and tart.

Transfer to clean airtight containers, cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours and up to 2 weeks before serving. Or, store in the freezer for up to 3 months; defrost completely in the refrigerator before serving.

Tip

There are different brands of powdered pectin, so the amount needed may change depending on which you buy and the package may include calcium powder. If the package includes instructions for no-cook freezer or refrigerator jam, follow them and adjust the amount of pectin needed based on your volume of cut fruit.

APPLE JELLY

This is from Yewande Komolafe on The New York Times website. She wrote, "This delicate fruit preserve can help you use up your bounty of peak fall apples. A crystal clear jelly is what you are after here, so look for cooking apples — you want firm, crisp fruit that will hold up to stewing and straining without falling apart. Once the apples are cooked and their juices are extracted, the resulting jam is reminiscent of floral honey and tart citrus. Serve with a buttery croissant, warm toast, as a filling for pastries or a glaze for fruit tarts and cakes."

Yield: 4 to 5 cups; Time: 2 hours, plus cooling and canning

This was featured in "Preserving the Season at Its Peak", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022489-apple-jelly.

Ingredients

3 1/2 pounds cooking apples, such as Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Jonagold, Braeburn or Honeycrisp, or a combination, scrubbed

4 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice (from about 2 lemons), plus more as needed

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)

Preparation

Cut the apples into 1-inch pieces without peeling or coring, but discard any damaged or spoiled spots.

Place the apples in a large nonreactive pot and pour in 8 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat to maintain a simmer and cook without stirring until the apples soften, 35 to 40 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Set a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or a muslin bag over another large pot, and pour the contents of the pot into the sieve. Do not press on the apples to prevent the jelly from becoming cloudy. You should have at least 7 cups of juice. Some apple varieties absorb more water and may need 2 to 8 hours for the juice to naturally strain out. If that’s the case, refrigerate the pot.

Place a small plate in the freezer to use for testing the setting point of the jelly. Set the pot with the juice over medium-high heat. (Discard the fruit.) Add the sugar and lemon juice, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil, skimming and discarding any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the liquid reduces by about three-quarters and a candy or deep-fry thermometer registers 225 degrees, 40 to 50 minutes. To test for doneness, spoon a small amount of liquid onto the cold plate from the freezer and return to the freezer to cool completely, about 2 minutes. Drag a spoon through the jelly. The setting point has been reached if it wrinkles and the wrinkles hold their shape. If they don’t, continue to cook the jelly and test every few minutes on the cold plate.

Once the jelly is done cooking, add the salt, stir to dissolve and adjust with more lemon juice, if needed, for a nice balance of sweet and tart with a floral taste. Ladle the hot liquid into clean, sanitized jars, screw on the lids and follow steps to can, or allow to cool to room temperature and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.

BLACK BEAN AND MANGO SALAD

This is from Jolinda Hackett on The Spruce Eats. She wrote, "Black beans and mangoes combine with fresh bell pepper, fresh jalapeno peppers and fresh cilantro in this simple vegetarian, vegan, high-protein, and gluten-free bean salad recipe. The flavors are simple yet powerful, and the combination is quite tasty.

"This black bean and mango salad recipe is vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free, and, with just one tablespoon of olive oil divided among four servings, it's also relatively low in fat. With less than 200 calories per serving, this bean salad also qualifies as a low-calorie recipe."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 0 minutes; Total Time: 10 minutes; Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/black-bean-and-mango-salad-recipe-3378314.

Ingredients

1 (15.8-ounce) can black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 cup sweet red, orange, or yellow bell pepper (diced)

6 green onions (thinly sliced)

1 jalapeno pepper (seeded and minced) or hot sauce to taste

1/4 cup cilantro leaves (chopped)

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups mango (diced)

Sea salt or kosher salt (to taste)

Prepartions

Gather the ingredients.

In a large bowl, combine the drained and rinsed black beans, the diced bell pepper, green onions, minced jalapeno pepper, and fresh cilantro.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and lime juice (and the hot sauce if you're using hot sauce instead of fresh jalapeno pepper).

Pour the olive oil and lime juice mixture over the bean mix, and gently toss together until well mixed.

Once the ingredients are well combined, carefully and gently fold in the diced mango and season lightly with sea salt or kosher salt.

You may want to taste, and adjust the seasonings, or add a bit more salt before serving.

Tips

Use sea salt or kosher salt for the best taste, instead of regular table salt. Similarly, use the best quality olive oil you have, and use freshly squeezed lime juice instead of bottled, if possible, for the best flavor.

MARINARA SAUCE

This comes from WW (formerly Weight Watchers), and begins, "This homemade marinara is quick and versatile, and it can be easily doubled if you’d like to keep some on hand in the freezer. One shortcut on this recipe is using canned whole tomatoes and letting your food processor or blender doing the chopping. However, if you want to use fresh tomatoes, you should; the flavor is amazing. This is a solid base recipe to use as a starting point. From here you can add in your favorite herbs (try oregano, thyme, and rosemary), amp up the minced garlic, stir in some roasted red peppers, or add in some crushed red pepper for a bit of heat."

Prep Time: 8 minutes; Cook: 30 minutes; Total Time: 38 minutes; Serves:8; Difficulty: Easy

To view online, click here.

Ingredients

28 oz Canned whole plum tomatoes

1 tsp Olive oil

1/4 medium uncooked onion, finely chopped

2 medium cloves garlic clove, minced

1 tsp Sugar

1/2 tsp table salt

1/4 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground

2 Tbsp Basil, chopped

Instructions

In a food processor or a blender, pulse the tomatoes until they're coarsely chopped; set aside.

Heat a medium soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Swirl in the oil, then add the onion. Sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, and sauté until just fragrant, 30 seconds more.

Stir in the tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce until thickened, at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour. Stir in the basil during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Serving size: 1/2 cup.

ROASTED VEGETABLES

Long since forgotten email list. The person who posted this wrote that it was from page 201 of THE ULTIMATE WEIGHT SOLUTION COOKBOOK by Dr. Phil McGraw. Makes 8 SERVINGS

Ingredients

1 large rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 large turnip, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

2 cups baby carrots

2 cups small Brussels sprouts (see Note 1)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons sugar-free maple syrup

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the rutabaga, turnip, carrots, and Brussels sprouts in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a roasting or broiler pan. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl clean of any remaining oil, salt, and pepper; drizzle it over the vegetables.

Roast, tossing every 10 minutes or so to prevent sticking, until golden brown and tender, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Pour the maple syrup into the hot roasting pan and toss with the roasted vegetables (see Note 2). Pour the entire mixture into a serving bowl and drizzle the remaining juices over the vegetables.

NOTE 1: For accurate and even cooking make a small "x" with a paring knife in the stem end of each Brussels sprout.

NOTE 2: If you want a sweet-and-sour dressing, add 1 tablespoon cider vinegar to the oil, and drizzle over the hot vegetables.

BASIC VEGETABLE SOUP

This is from Weight Watchers, and begins, "Some say this soup is the secret to their weight-loss success. It's a great midday snack or dinner appetizer. If you like thick soups, consider pureeing this recipe in the pot with an immersion blender. There are so many variations on this recipe. Add or leave out vegetables to suit your taste. Save time by using frozen vegetables instead of fresh ones (though the texture of the soup might change a bit). You can also buy small amounts of pre-cut vegetables from your supermarket's salad bar."

Prep Time: 35 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes; Serves: 12; Serving Size: 1 cup; Difficulty: Easy

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 medium cloves garlic, minced

2 medium uncooked carrots, diced

2 small uncooked zucchini, diced

2 cups uncooked savoy cabbage, shredded, or other variety, shredded

2 cups uncooked Swiss chard, chopped

2 cups uncooked cauliflower, small floret

2 cups uncooked broccoli, small florets

1 medium uncooked onion, diced

1 medium sweet red pepper, diced

1 rib medium uncooked celery, diced

2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

6 cups fat free reduced sodium vegetable broth

2 Tbsp fresh parsley, or fresh chives, chopped

1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste

1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste

2 Tbsp Fresh lemon juice, optional

Directions

Put garlic, vegetables, thyme, and broth into a large soup pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to low and simmer, partly covered, about 10 minutes.

Stir in parsley or chives; season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

Taco Tuesday

Who doesn't love tacos? Sure, there are those boxed taco kits that includes everything except the meatless crumbles (or meat, if you do occasionally eat meat) and toppings. And really, there's nothing wrong with the boxed kits, especially when you want dinner in a hurry with a minimum amount of effort.

But there are so many great vegetarian taco recipes out there that, with a little more effort (but just a little more), you can have a good meal to Taco Tuesday. Here are six vegetarian taco recipes to get you started, including Tacos With Summer Squash, Tomatoes and Beans and Mexican Street Tacos. Enjoy!

SPICY QUINOA TACOS

This is from Katelyn Drake in the Share Reader Recipe in Vegetarian Times (April/May 2015, page 12). Serves 6.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 small onion, diced (1 cup)

1 rib celery, diced (1/2 cup)

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp)

1 Tbs. ground cumin

1 Tbs. chili powder

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 15-oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1 15-oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

2 medium carrots, diced (1 cup)

1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels

12 6-inch corn tortillas

Directions

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and celery, and cook 5 minutes, or until soft. Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne, and saute 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes with liquid. Cook 2 minutes, then stir in quinoa, carrots, and broth. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes, or until quinoa is tender and liquid is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Mix in black beans and corn. Serve in tortillas.

SALSA ROJA BLACK BEAN TACOS

This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Salsa roja is a cooked salsa made with skillet- or grill-blackened onions, tomatoes, and garlic. Serve in warmed corn tortillas." Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/salsa-roja-black-bean-tacos/.

Ingredients

1 large onion, quartered, divided

2 round or plum tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, plus 1/2 tsp. adobo sauce

1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

Directions

Cut one-quarter of onion into 3 or 4 chunks. Chop remaining three-quarters of onion, and set aside.

Place medium skillet over medium-high heat. Char onion chunks, tomatoes, and garlic cloves in dry skillet 10 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove onion and garlic to plate while tomatoes continue 
to blacken. Break up tomatoes with wooden spoon or spatula; return onion and garlic to skillet. Add chipotle chile, adobo sauce, and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes. Transfer to blender, and blend until smooth.

Wipe out skillet, and coat with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. Add chopped onion, cover, and cook 5 minutes, or until translucent. Add beans and salsa roja, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until thickened.

VEGETARIAN BUFFALO CHICKPEA QUESADILLAS

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "Enjoy this vegetarian take on fan-favorite, Buffalo chicken wings! This chickpea quesadilla recipe layers chickpeas, hot sauce, cheese, green onions and tomatoes into a folded tortilla to create Vegetarian Buffalo Chickpea Quesadillas. Don't forget to serve with Old El Paso™ Zesty Ranch Sauce on the side!"

Prep Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/vegetarian-buffalo-chickpeas-quesadillas.

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter

1 cup chopped onions

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 can (15 to 15.5 oz) chickpeas, drained, rinsed

1/4 cup original cayenne pepper sauce

4 Old El Paso™ Flour Tortillas For Burritos (8 inch)

1 cup Old El Paso™ Shredded Mexican Style 4 Cheese Blend (from 8-oz package)

1/2 cup chopped green onions (8 medium)

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup Old El Paso™ Zesty Ranch Sauce (from 9-oz bottle)

Preparation

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Stir in onions and garlic; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften. Add chickpeas; continue to cook 4 to 6 minutes or until vegetables and chickpeas begin to brown. Remove from heat. Add hot sauce; roughly mash chickpeas with fork, leaving some whole.

On half of each tortilla, layer about 1/4 cup of the chickpea mixture, 1/4 cup cheese, 2 tablespoons green onions and 2 tablespoons tomatoes. Fold tortillas in half. Brush top of each quesadilla with about 1/4 teaspoon of the oil.

Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place 2 quesadillas in skillet, oil side down; brush top side with about 1/4 teaspoon of the oil. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully turn quesadillas; cook 1 to 2 minutes longer or until golden brown. Repeat with remaining quesadillas.

Cut each quesadilla in half; serve with zesty ranch sauce on the side.

Expert Tips

Cooking Vegetarian? Always read labels to make sure each recipe ingredient is vegetarian. Products and ingredient sources can change.

Dial up the heat by adding sliced jalapeños to the chickpea quesadilla filling, along with the green onions and tomatoes.

This Buffalo chickpea quesadilla is hearty enough to serve on its own, but for a bit of added crunch, try serving with a side of tortilla chips.

This recipe uses Frank's™ RedHot™ original sauce, but you're welcome to use another variety of hot sauce.

Exchanges: 1/2 Starch, 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrate, 1/2 Vegetable, 1/2 Very Lean Meat, 1/2 High-Fat Meat, 3 1/2 Fat

Carbohydrate Choices: 2

MEXICAN STREET TACOS

This comes from Chungah and her wonderful site, Damn Delicious. If you've never run across this site, I highly reecommend checking it out. Seriously. Go ahead, I'll wait…

Okay, so starts off with the disclaimer, "Easy, quick, authentic carne asada street tacos you can now make right at home! Top with onion, cilantro + fresh lime juice! SO GOOD!"

Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes; Yield: 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://damndelicious.net/2019/04/18/mexican-street-tacos/. If you're like me, you'll also enjoy the intro to the recipe. Check it out!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 1/2 pounds skirt steak, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

12 mini flour tortillas, warmed

3/4 cup diced red onion

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, lime juice, 1 tablespoon canola oil, garlic, chili powder, cumin and oregano.

In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine soy sauce mixture and steak; marinate for at least 1 hour up to 4 hours, turning the bag occasionally.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add steak and marinade, and cook, stirring often, until steak has browned and marinade has reduced, about 5-6 minutes, or until desired doneness.

Serve steak in tortillas, topped with onion, cilantro and lime.

TACOS WITH SUMMER SQUASH, TOMATOES AND BEANS

This is from Martha Rose Shulman on The New York Times cooking site. Martha wrote, "Beans such as pintos, even out of a can, add substance to this summery taco filling. Goat cheese provides a creamy, rich finish."

Yield: 6 servings; Time: 30 minutes

This was featured in "Vegetarian Taco Night", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016747-tacos-with-summer-squash-tomatoes-and-beans.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small red or white onion, finely chopped

Salt to taste

2 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 pound tomatoes, peeled and diced

1 1/2 pounds summer squash, cut in small dice (about 4 1/4 cups)

1 serrano chile, minced

1 1/2 cups cooked white beans, pinto beans or black beans (1 can, drained and rinsed)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro (more to taste)

12 to 14 warm corn tortillas

2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (1/2 cup)

Salsa of your choice

Preparation

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add chopped onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes, and add a generous pinch of salt and garlic. Cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds, and add tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until tomatoes cook down slightly, about 10 minutes (this could take more or less time, depending on the texture and juiciness of the tomatoes).

Stir in summer squash, chile, and salt to taste. Cook, stirring, until squash is tender but not mushy, about 8 minutes. Stir in beans and cilantro and heat through. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Heat tortillas and top with squash mixture and crumbled cheese. Serve with the salsa of your choice.

Tip

Advance preparation: You can make the filling a day in advance and refrigerate overnight. Reheat gently in a skillet.

STAND 'N STUFF BREAKFAST TACOS

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "Tacos for breakfast? Absolutely! The Old El Paso® Stand 'n Stuff soft taco shells make the perfect vessel to hold your breakfast favorites."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Makes 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/stand-n-stuff-breakfast-tacos.

Ingredients

6 eggs

1/4 cup half-and-half

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons butter

1 can (15 oz) Progresso™ black beans, drained, rinsed

4 medium green onions, sliced (1/2 cup)

6 Old El Paso™ Soft Tortilla Bowls

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)

1/3 cup Old El Paso™ Thick 'n Chunky salsa

1 avocado, pitted, peeled and diced

1/3 cup sour cream

Preparation

In large bowl, beat eggs with whisk. Add half-and-half and salt; beat well. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add egg mixture; cook about 7 minutes, scraping cooked eggs up from bottom of skillet occasionally, until mixture is firm but still moist. Gently fold in beans and green onions, stirring to combine.

Heat tortillas as directed on package. Divide egg mixture evenly among tortillas. Top with Toppings. If desired, garnish with dark green tops of green onions.

Expert Tips

Complete this fabulous meal with a delicious fresh fruit salad.